WASHINGTON — Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended himself fiercely Tuesday from any suggestion that he has lied in his testimony before Congress about his knowledge of contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

Sessions added: "I have at all times conducted myself honorably ... I've always told the truth."

Sessions' testimony at the House hearing was his first appearance before Congress since two former Trump campaign advisers testified that they told Sessions about their contacts with Russia. Those revelations — from former advisers George Papadopoulos and Carter Page — appeared to contradict previous testimony that Sessions gave to the Senate.

Sessions said Tuesday that he did not recall talking to Page last year about Page's planned trip to Moscow and only remembered a March 2016 meeting with Papadopoulos after seeing news reports about it. He said he made it clear to Papadopoulos that his suggestion that he arrange a meeting between then-candidate Donald Trump and Russian officials "may have been improper."

Text of an exchange between Jeff Sessions and Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) during Session' Senate confirmation hearing in January 2017 is displayed during Attorney General Jeff Sessions testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 14, 2017.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Attorney General Jeff Sessions reads from a sheet of paper with text related to questioning by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) from Sessions' confirmation hearing during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 14, 2017 in Washington during an oversight hearing on the Department of Justice.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) holds up a photo of Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore and images of four women who have accused Moore of inappropriate sexual conduct when they were teenagers during questioning of Attorney General Jeff Sessions before the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 14, 2017 in Washington during an oversight hearing on the Department of Justice.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

11/14/17 11:54:25 AM -- Washington , DC, U.S.A -- An image posted by the the Donald Trump election campaign of a March 31, 2016 Trump campaign committee meeting that included Donald Trump, Jeff Sessions and George Papadopolous is displayed on screen as Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 14, 2017 in Washington during an oversight hearing on the Department of Justice. -- Photo by Jack Gruber, USA TODAY Staff
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

A July 24, 2017 tweet by President Trump is displayed on screen during questioning by Rep. John Conyers Jr (D-MI) of Attorney General Jeff Sessions as he testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 14, 2017 in Washington during an oversight hearing on the Department of Justice.
Jack Gruber, USA TODAY

However, Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading a criminal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race, later unsealed documents revealing that Papadopoulos admitted to the FBI he attended a national security meeting in March 2016 with then-candidate Donald Trump, Sessions and other advisers.

At that meeting, which Sessions chaired, Papadopoulos told the group he had connections that could help arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. No such meeting ever took place, Trump campaign officials have said.

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in October to making false statements and “material omissions” to the FBI about numerous communications he had with allies of the Russian government, according to a court document unsealed by Mueller.

"I had no recollection of this meeting with Mr. Papadopoulos until I saw news reports," Sessions said Tuesday. "I do now recall the meeting at Trump Tower."

Sessions said he could not recall what Papadopoulos said. However, Sessions said he "believes I made clear to him" that he should not represent the campaign to the Russians or anyone else.

"I pushed back against his suggestion (of arranging a meeting between Trump and Russian officials) that I thought may have been improper," Sessions said.

In response to a question from Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., Sessions said he is "confident" he never exchanged texts or emails with Papadopoulos during the campaign.

The attorney general said it's difficult for him to recall details from a year ago in part because the Trump campaign was so chaotic.

"It was a brilliant campaign in many ways, but it was a form of chaos in many ways from Day One," Sessions testified, noting that he was still doing his job as a senator while advising the campaign. "Sleep was in short supply."

"I mentioned it briefly to Senator Sessions as I was walking out the door (of the Capitol Hill Club for Republicans)," Page testified. "I forget the exact date, but it was the Thursday night before I flew to Moscow to give my speech. So I mentioned it to him in passing ... as we were walking out the door."

It was on that trip that Page met with Russian deputy prime minster Arkadiy Dvorkovich and several Russian lawmakers, according to the transcript.

Sessions said Tuesday that, in regard to Page, "while I do not challenge his account, I have no recollection" of speaking with him at the Capitol Hill Club.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., asked Sessions: "He told you he was going to Russia. He was on the (Trump campaign's) national security team. You didn't tell him not to go?"

Sessions replied, "Am I supposed to tell him not to go on a trip?"

"Mr. Page said that after the meeting was over, he said he was going to Russia and I had no response," Sessions said. "I don't think that means I've done anything dishonest."

After a similar question from Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Sessions reacted angrily.

"Does that (conversation with Page) establish some sort of improper contact with Russians?" Sessions snapped. "He's not Russian, you know."

Democrats in both the House and Senate say they are troubled by inconsistencies between what Sessions has told them and the testimony of Page and Papadopoulos, even though that testimony does not prove that Sessions was involved in any collusion with Russians.

"Over the past 10 months, the attorney general has testified before the Senate on three occasions about his knowledge of and contacts with Russian operatives," Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said in a speech on the Senate floor Monday. "But he still has not gotten his story straight ...This is a problem."

Sessions' problems with his former colleagues in Congress began at his confirmation hearing in January when the former Alabama senator failed to mention at least two contacts he had with the Russian ambassador while he was advising Trump's campaign.

While Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee pressed Sessions on the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia, several Republican members said before the hearing that Sessions should resign unless he appoints a special counsel to investigate key figures in the Obama administration.

Conservative GOP Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Matt Gaetz of Florida said in a Fox News op-ed Monday that Sessions should appoint a second special counsel to investigate actions taken by former FBI director James Comey and former attorney general Loretta Lynch related to the closure of the email investigation that dogged Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The FBI investigated Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of State but never charged her with any crime.

"It’s time for Jeff Sessions to name a Special Counsel and get answers for the American people," the two congressmen wrote. "If not, he should step down."

In a letter to Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., on Monday, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd said that Sessions has directed senior federal prosecutors to evaluate Republican members' requests for a special counsel. GOP members had sent letters to Sessions in July and September detailing their request.

"These senior prosecutors will report directly to the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, as appropriate, and will make recommendations as to whether any matters not currently under investigation should be opened, whether any matters currently under investigation require further resources, or whether any matters merit the appointment of a Special Counsel," Boyd wrote.

Sessions essentially repeated that statement Tuesday and added that he could not confirm or deny that any investigations have been opened into Obama administration activities or actions taken by Clinton.

He told Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, that he could not answer Jordan's questions about whether the FBI helped fund the now-famous dossier alleging ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

The dossier was written by former British spy Christopher Steele, who was hired by Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research on Trump during last year's presidential campaign. Fusion GPS was hired by a law firm representing Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Jordan and other conservatives believe the FBI may have helped fund Steele, who, as a former British intelligence officer, may have worked in cooperation with the FBI in the past. Sessions said he could not comment on that because he has recused himself from anything involving the Russia investigation. There has been no evidence to support the claim that the FBI helped pay for the dossier.

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Attorney General Jeff Sessions adjust his jacket before the arrival of President Trump to speak during the White House Opioid Summit in the East Room of the White House on March 1, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions steps over a stanchion to greet former Senate colleagues before a ceremony for the late Rev. Billy Graham at the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 28, 2018.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions talks with Senate staffer Sharon Soderstrom before the arrival of President Trump to a ceremony honoring Reverend Billy Graham in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building on Feb. 28, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (L) and Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) wait for the start of ceremonies as the late evangelist Billy Graham lies in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2018. Graham, a spiritual counselor for every president from Harry Truman to Barack Obama and other world leaders for more than 60 years, died on 21 February at the age of 99.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions (C) joins other law enforcement officials in announcing law enforcement action against schemes to fraud senior citizens, during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington on Feb. 22, 2018. The Department of Justice announced elder fraud law enforcement action, charging more than 200 defendants for allegedly robbing more than one million Americans of more than half a billion US dollars.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions, right, talks with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi before a meeting with President Trump and state and local officials to discuss school safety, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Feb. 22, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (C) speaks during a meeting with President Trump (2nd L), U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) and state and local officials on school safety at The White House in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 22, 2018.
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In this photo taken on Feb. 22, 2018 U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions attends a meeting with President Trump with state and local officials on school safety in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivers remarks prior to President Trump's arrival during a Public Safety Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 20, 2018. During his remarks President Trump announced he signed a directive ordering Attorney General Jeff Sessions to craft regulations banning "bump stocks" and other devices that turn semi-automatic firearms into automatic weapons.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions walks from the East Room after attending the Public Safety Medal of Valor Awards Ceremony at the White House on Feb. 20, 2018 in Washington, DC.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions delivers remarks about the Florida school shooting at the Major County Sheriffs of America 2018 Winter Conference in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 15, 2018. Attorney General Sessions also commented on immigration and policing of the drug trade.
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions holds up a gift given to him following his address to the National Sheriffs' Association Winter Conference on law enforcement efforts to combat the opioid crisis and violent crime, in Washington on Feb. 12, 2018. The box contains the association's badge and challenge coin. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
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U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions (L) speaks with Anthony Williams, Drug Enforcement Administration associate administrator, during the opening remarks at the U.S. Southern Command Opioid Summit on Feb. 8, 2018 in Doral, Florida. During the day-long Opioid Summit officials are focusing on the crisis, considering approaches to strengthen the nation's response and define holistic strategies supporting the president's call to action in order to end what he has declared a 'national public health emergency.' (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand, during the opening ceremony of the summit on Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking at Department of Justice in Washington on Feb. 2, 2018. President Trump, dogged by an unrelenting investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia, lashes out at the FBI and Justice Department as politically biased ahead of the expected release of a classified Republican memo criticizing FBI surveillance tactics. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R) arrives before President Trump arrives to deliver his first State of the Union from the floor of the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
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Sessions speaks on immigration at the Justice Department on Sept. 5, 2017, announcing that the Trump administration is ending the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, with a six-month delay for Congress to come up with replacement legislation.
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Sessions delivers remarks at an event where he received an award from the Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York City at the Justice Department on May 12, 2017.
Michael Reynolds, European Pressphoto Agency

Sessions takes his seat before a meeting of the Attorney General's Organized Crime Council and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Executive Committee at the Department of Justice on April 18, 2017.
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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Sessions take part in a news conference on the reconstituted travel ban at the U.S. Customs and Borders Protection headquarters on March 6, 2017.
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Sessions takes questions during a press conference at the Department of Justice on March 2, 2017, during which he recused himself from the investigation into Russian meddling in the election.
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Alabama Gov. Bob Riley listens as Sessions makes remarks on the announcement that Mobile, Ala., will be the site of the EADS KC-330 air refueling advanced tanker production facility during a press conference in Washington on June 22, 2005.
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Sessions speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill with Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., left, following a failed vote to end a filibuster against judicial nominee Miguel Estrada on March 13, 2003.
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